Galleries unite against Mayfair rent rises to find new London hub

A group of London gallery owners are planning to quit Mayfair for a cheaper home elsewhere in the capital and are hoping to tempt others to follow.

Art galleries in Mayfair have been under threat from rising rents, which have been pushed up by luxury brands seeking the best locations.

Now, according to magazine Property Week, a group of galleries led by property veteran Sir Stuart Lipton and John Martin — who has run the John Martin Gallery on Albemarle Street for 22 years — are looking to leave their prime central London home and are considering Eastcastle Street, north of Oxford Circus, as well as Victoria, King’s Cross or Vauxhall.

Retail property agency CWM is advising the group about the move.

The proposal is to find 100-150,000 square feet of space, either in a department store-style approach with the galleries under one roof, or with a cluster of shops to keep the galleries together.

Mr Martin said: “It would be best if we can stay in Mayfair but if that can’t happen, we are a really viable group of businesses that are looking for a home.”

He said the galleries most at risk are on Mount Street, Albemarle Street, Cork Street, Davis Street, Dover Street and Old Bond Street.

Scott Murdoch, founding partner of CWM, said: “Either the galleries need to move as a group to a more affordable London location, or a gallery building needs to be created.

“This is likely to be a listed multi-level destination building with lots of heritage to be able to house up to 30 galleries.”

The group has taken inspiration from New York’s Fuller Building, which houses galleries and Moscow’s the Winzavod centre, which was created for galleries from a former brewery and wine factory.

Sir Stuart Lipton said: “The galleries are one of the institutions of central London, so it’s important that they have space.

“In New York, buildings are devoted to art and galleries so it’s about being pragmatic about their future here.

“London needs its clusters of arts and crafts. We must make sure they don’t disappear.”

Last year a group of galleries in Cork Street agreed a deal with developer Native Land to stay on the street after they feared being forced to leave following its £300 million redevelopment.